News | EastBayRI.com - News, Opinion, Things to Do in the East Bay

This is a stock photo provided by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)/USDA. It is not an image from the Newport County farm where the virus was detected.

DEM announces R.I.’s first domestic case of avian flu

NEWPORT COUNTY — The R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM) announced Friday that the first domestic presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Rhode Island has … more

10/21/22

A screen capture of the female suspect in the Walgreens counterfeit bill case.

East Providence Police seek suspects in counterfeit case

EAST PROVIDENCE — East Providence Police investigators are seeking the input of the public in their attempt to apprehend two people alleged to have passed counterfeit currency at a local … more

10/21/22

Portsmouth council candidates share priorities if elected

PORTSMOUTH — Twelve candidates are running for a seat on the Town Council in next month’s election, and we asked each one the same question: “What issue(s) should be given the … more

10/19/22

Michael Cranson, here spending one of his last days as Portsmouth fire chief in 2018, is now the new fire chief for Nantucket, Mass.

Former Portsmouth Fire Chief Cranson takes post on Nantucket

PORTSMOUTH — Michael Cranson, who stepped down as Portsmouth’s fire chief in 2018 after spending 27 years with the department, started his new job as fire chief on the island of … more

10/18/22

Ken Mendonça (R) and Linda Ujifusa (D) are two candidates vying for the R.I. Senate District 11 seat.

District 11 hopefuls Mendonça, Ujifusa sound off on the issues

Two candidates for the R.I. Senate District 11 (Portsmouth and Bristol) seat tackled issues ranging from substance abuse to affordable house during a forum last week hosted by the League of Women … more

10/18/22

Officials laud completion of Expressway/Trail resurfacing project

EAST PROVIDENCE — Local, state and federal officials lauded the completion of the East Shore Expressway/Wampanoag Trail resurfacing project via a press release issued Monday morning, Oct. 17. … more

10/17/22

Portsmouth High’s Caitlin Mediate (left) and Morgan Casey defend the net while battling South Kingstown on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Portsmouth High girls shut out South Kingstown in volleyball

PORTSMOUTH — If there ever was a close shutout, this was it. The Portsmouth High girls’ varsity volleyball team blanked South Kingstown last Thursday at home, 3-0, but every set … more

10/17/22

Linda Ujifusa reacts to Andrew Kelly’s endorsement of her during his surprise announcement that he was dropping out of the Senate District 11 race at the start of an online candidates’ forum last week. Both are Democrats, but Kelly was running as an independent. The other candidates are Kenneth J. Mendonça (R), who also appeared at the forum, and Mario J. Teixeira (I), who did not.

Portsmouth's Andrew Kelly withdraws from Senate Dist. 11 race

PORTSMOUTH — Andrew V. Kelly of Portsmouth is withdrawing from his campaign for the Senate seat that was vacated by James A. Seveney (D-Dist. 11, Bristol, Portsmouth, … more

10/14/22

Transfer station worker Paul LaPierre picks cardboard out of the metals bin at the Hedly Street facility Tuesday afternoon. In light of the ever-increasing expense of trash disposal, the town is looking into ways to manage costs for not only people who still use the transfer station, but for those residents who use curbside pickup.

Portsmouth Council and residents talk trash — again

PORTSMOUTH — Emphasizing it was merely gathering information for future decision-making, the Town Council voted unanimously Tuesday to direct staff to develop a request for proposals (RFP) for … more

By Jim McGaw | 10/12/22

Portsmouth firefighters outside the high school cafeteria Wednesday morning, Oct. 12, after receiving a report of a gas odor inside.

Portsmouth High students dismissed after gas leak

PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth High School dismissed students at about 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday following a gas leak inside the cafeteria. “Several PHS staff members reported smelling a … more

10/12/22

What your vote on recreational marijuana licensing means

Voters will decide in November whether recreational pot shops can open in their communities, but Rhode Island likely won't see any such locations open until at least 2024. more

By Ethan Hartley | 10/12/22

School Committee and Senate candidates meet in live forum Thursday night

The Warren candidates for the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee, and the candidates for Senate Districts 10 and 11 will debate in forums on Thursday, Oct. 13, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The … more

10/11/22

Lining up on the edge of the turf field are Homecoming court members (from left) Avery Snyder, Morgan Levreault, Ava Hackley, Dylan Brandariz, Nick Waycuilis (king), Luke Carlin (king), Phoebe Tavares, Andrew Alvanas, Elise Kirwin, and Jack Hollen.

Homecoming caps off Spirit Week at Portsmouth High

PORTSMOUTH — Students at Portsmouth High School spent one day in pajamas, another dressed as bikers or surfers, voted for “Senior Superlatives,” decorated the field house for Goofy … more

10/10/22

Jubilant members of the PHS varsity football team enter the turf field to cheers before Saturday’s Homecoming game against Shea.

Portsmouth fights off Shea in Homecoming win, 14-7

PORTSMOUTH — A banged-up Portsmouth High School varsity football team earned a gritty come-from-behind Homecoming victory when it beat Shea, 14-7, on the turf field Saturday. The … more

10/10/22

Sajo Jefferson (left) and Julia Chang, who are both part of the leadership team at Movement Ground Farm in Tiverton, gave visitors a tour of the farm, stopping to talk about the sheep behind them, and the unique efforts of their farm to engage young and minority populations in farming. Everyone on the leadership team at Movement Ground is under the age of 35 and most come from Providence to work there.

The food network is hard at work

Research suggests the average person thinks about food 15% of their day. That’s of course their own food, or their family’s food, and those thoughts are typically connected to the rumble … more

By Scott Pickering | 10/6/22

Nathan Minese leads a tour of the earthworks surrounding Butts Hill Fort in 2020. Public Archeology Laboratory just released an archeologic assessment of the property, which makes several recommendations related to future restoration work there.

Portsmouth: Butts Hill Fort archeologic report released

PORTSMOUTH — Members of a local nonprofit who have pledged to restore and maintain Butts Hill Fort, a Revolutionary War earthwork, have their work cut out for them following the release … more

By Jim McGaw | 10/6/22

Artists Gary and Suzi Graham in their Graham Gallery, opened earlier this year at 412A Thames St.

New Thames Street gallery hosting numerous meet-the-artist events

Beginning in 2020, confined to their home, painting became an everyday escape for Gary and Suzi Graham. more

By Christy Nadalin | 10/5/22

Portsmouth High’s Joseph Murphy attempts to head a corner kick into the net during a 5-0 win over Mt. Hope on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

Portsmouth High shuts out Mt. Hope, 5-0 (photos)

The Portsmouth Patriots boys’ soccer squad overwhelmed visiting Mt. Hope in a league game last Wednesday, Sept. 28, shutting out the Huskies by a score of 5-0. more

10/3/22

Portsmouth High School boys’ varsity soccer head coach Mike Stinton (center) talks to his team during halftime of a game in 2018. The 1968 PHS grad will be inducted into the PHS Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 8 as both an athlete and coach.

Last call for Portsmouth High Athletic Hall of Fame tix

The Portsmouth High School Athletic Hall of Fame will hold its annual induction ceremony this Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Green Valley Country Club, 371 Union St. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. with a cash … more

10/3/22

Russell Morin Catering & Events will be taking over management of the town-owned Glen Manor House on Jan. 1, 2023.

Portsmouth: Russell Morin to manage Glen Manor House

PORTSMOUTH — After nearly three decades of being managed by Katie and Don Wilkinson, the reigns of the town-owned Glen Manor House will be turned over to Russell Morin Catering & … more

By Jim McGaw | 10/1/22

Digital rendering of a portion of the Revolution Wind farm as seen from Newport.

Revolution Wind farm plan moves ahead

Even as the Mayflower Wind project faces concern here over the routing of its electric cables up the Sakonnet River, a second project that could have a greater visual impact on the coast from … more

By Ted Hayes | 9/30/22

Portsmouth’s lead runner was Wake Zani, who ran seventh overall in 18:58.

Gallery: Portsmouth, Tiverton cross country teams

TIVERTON — Teams from LaSalle Academy were the winners of both the boys’ and girls’ Metropolitan Division cross country meet held Monday, Sept. 26, over the 3.1-mile layout on and … more

Photos by Tyler Maxwell | 9/30/22

Portsmouth Police Department’s booking photo of Richard J. Doyle.

Portsmouth Police officer arrested after reported fight with fellow cop

PORTSMOUTH — A seven-year veteran of the Portsmouth Police Department was arrested after allegedly striking another off-duty cop at Local Kitchen & Cocktails restaurant on Sept. … more

9/29/22

Save The Bay’s Wenley Ferguson holds a photograph, taken by a volunteer and shared on the MyCoast app, showing the access road (right behind her) to the former boat ramp at Gull Cove completely underwater during a king tide last year. “It shows how vulnerable this area is,” Ferguson said.

Portsmouth: Protecting shoreline access during climate change

PORTSMOUTH — At Gull Cove Tuesday morning, Wenley Ferguson, director of habitat restoration for Save The Bay, held up a large photograph that was taken by a volunteer and shared on the … more

By Jim McGaw | 9/28/22

Portsmouth firefighters save man who fell from boat

PORTSMOUTH — Two swimmers from the Portsmouth Fire Department rescued a man who spent about 20 minutes in the water after falling from his boat off Fountain Avenue in Island Park Monday … more

9/26/22